Previously known maps are printed on large rectangular sheets of paper that are fanfolded to make them compact for storage. The periphery of the map is typically marked with indicia corresponding to square or rectangular-shaped map regions formed by the intersection of a number of parallel, horizontal grid lines with a number of parallel, vertical grid lines. A legend is often provided on the reverse side of the map that lists points of interest and the indicia identifying the map region containing the points of interest. Such maps are difficult to use for a number of reasons.
Several problems with the use of maps of this type are caused by their folded construction. In many instances the fold lines of the map obscure one or more index indicia located around the periphery of the map, and finding the correct region to locate the selected point of interest using the indicia coordinates is made difficult. Additionally, it is usually necessary to entirely unfold such maps to locate a given point of interest, because the indicia are printed on the map periphery and the location of the map region which contains the point of interest is unknown. Unfolding of the entire map is awkward, particularly in relatively confined areas such as inside an automobile.
Another difficulty with this kind of map is the spacing of the index indicia along the periphery of the map. The horizontal and vertical grid lines drawn across the face of the map are often relatively widely spaced from one another, thus forming large square or rectangular map regions wherein a plurality of points of interest may lie. Identification of a single point of interest within a large map region is burdensome.
One attempt to alleviate the need for searching for a particular point within a square map region is the use of more indicia along the periphery, and therefore more intersecting horizontal and vertical grid lines, to reduce the size of the map regions and the number of points of interest located therein. However, the increased number of grid lines superimposed over the face of the map tends to obscure the features of the map and makes tracing a road or street, or finding a point of interest, difficult and confusing.